The State of Gambling in Canada – 2022

In Canada, gambling has been legal since 1985. Yet it took a few years for the industry to fully emerge, with the first Casinos appearing in 1990. Since then, particularly since the growth of iGaming began, the sector has flourished. Below, we discuss the state of gambling in Canada.

Casinos in Canada

Physical brick-and-mortar casinos are big businesses in Canada. Toronto alone has four major operators, which provide over 3000 slots and gaming machines combined. These establishments bring in a lot of tourism, domestic and international. There are also several casinos in some ‘must see’ locations, such as the Casino Niagara in Ontario, set against the breathtaking falls.

A recent study showed that Canada is in the eighth position as one of the countries that spend the most money on online gambling. While this also includes sports betting, part of this expansion has been due to the outstanding online casinos now available in Canada. In a country so vast where visiting a physical establishment is not always possible, major companies such as Bet365 and LeoVegas have managed to provide a service that in some cases, can be even better than a brick-and-mortar offering. With attractive welcome bonuses to entice new players, it is easy to see how many have adapted to online gambling in Canada.

Gambling in Canada

Most provinces have launched their gambling sites to build on this. Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan are just a few. Around $16 billion is spent by Canadians gambling at home every year, and only $4 billion of this is spent in offshore casinos. That is $12 billion ready to add to the tax of these states.

Figures for those who participate in online gambling in Canada place it at around $20 million people a year. Of these, online sports betting is the most widely used. The country is a sporting nation, with everything from hockey to basketball being hotly contested. Many major events also help swell this figure, such as the Olympics.

When it comes to table games, poker reigns supreme with around 59% of casino participants choosing this card game. Another look at the online casinos makes it easy to see why. The game has a large degree of skill involved, though the outcome still essentially comes down to chance. Combined with the many variations you can play online and the ease with which games can begin, it comes as no surprise that so many are involved.

Who Is Playing?

According to Statistics Canada, when it comes to gender, it is almost an equal split between who plays with around 43% women and 56% male. Oddly enough, it is the females who tend to play more on mobile devices, lured by the casual gaming aspect. They make up 55% of mobile device and app players.

If you look at the types of games played, it seems that all ages like to play online slots. This could be down to the robust marketing tactics of many online games, which license existing properties from movies and popular culture to appeal to a wide audience.

Gambling Laws in Canada

Gambling laws are decided by each province itself, though across the board there are no areas where gambling is forbidden. Offshore online casinos live in a grey area within the country. They are not allowed to target Canadians specifically, but no laws stop them from being accessed. This is to facilitate the Canadian market, as each province has at least one homegrown online casino. To open an online casino a license must be obtained from the relevant authority. Separate agreements must be made in each province if they are to operate across borders.

All this gives gambling in Canada, and particularly iGaming, a very positive future. A mix of robust yet fair regulations along with monitoring on a provincial level shows that Canada is one country reaping the benefits the industry can bring.